I found a T-mobile Partner Roaming policy effective for all service renewed or activated after June 28, 2008. This may not apply to everyone (Pre-June 2008 plans), but it's better than the guessing we have done on T-mobile's partner roaming. This should apply to new "Even More" plans too.

10. * Roaming, International Calling & Mobile Content. Roaming. Your Device may connect to another provider’s network (“off-net”) even when you are within the T-Mobile coverage area. Check your T-Mobile Device to determine if you are off-net. There may be extra charges (including long distance, tolls, data usage, failed messages or calls) and higher rates for off-net usage, depending on your Rate Plan. Your primary use of your Device must be within the T-Mobile owned network coverage area and we may limit or terminate your Service if you move outside of this area. We may limit or terminate your Service without prior notice if more than 50% of your voice and/or data usage is off-net for any three billing cycles within any 12 month period. International Roaming & Dialing. International roaming and dialing is available with some Rate Plans and on some Devices and may require an additional feature on your account. Whether roaming internationally or making and sending international calls and messages while in the U.S. (or Puerto Rico), you will be charged international rates (including for voicemails left for you and for data usage). Different rates apply in different countries. See www.t-mobile.com for information on international access, rates, Services and coverage. Mobile Content. Wireless devices can be used to purchase goods, content and services (including subscription plans) such as ring tones, graphics, games and alerts from T-Mobile or other companies. You are responsible for all Charges associated with such purchases from any Device assigned to your account. Some Charges may appear on your bill (including Charges on behalf of other companies). You may be able to restrict access and certain services by implementing controls available at www.t-mobile.com, or by calling T-Mobile. Mobile content may not be transferable from one Device to another Device.

Section 17 d.

17. Our Rights to Limit or End Service or the Agreement. WE MAY LIMIT, SUSPEND OR TERMINATE YOUR SERVICE OR AGREEMENT WITHOUT NOTICE FOR ANY REASON, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, if you, any user of your Device, or any user on your account: (a) breaches the Agreement; (b) incurs Charges greater than any billing or credit limitation on your account (even if we haven't yet billed the Charges); (c) provides inaccurate information or credit information we can't verify; (d) lives in an area where we don’t provide Service or more than 50% of your voice and/or data usage is off-net for any three billing cycles within any 12 month period (see Section 10); (e) transfer(s) Service to another person without our consent; (f) becomes insolvent, goes bankrupt or threatens bankruptcy (except as prohibited by law); (g) misuses your Service or Device as described in Section 16, above; (h) uses your Service or Device in a manner that is excessive, unusually burdensome, or unprofitable to us; or (i) are on a Rate Plan that we determine is no longer available to you. We may impose credit, usage or other limits to your Service, suspend your Service, or block certain types of calls, messages or sessions (such as international, 900 or 976 calls), in our sole discretion and without notice. This paragraph constitutes notice to Puerto Rico customers that your Service may be suspended or cancelled if you engage in any of the foregoing actions in Sections 16 and 17, including but not limited to failing to pay your bill when due, in accordance with the Puerto Rico Suspension Regulation 5940 of March 12, 1999, promulgated by the Telecommunications Board where applicable, or in T-Mobile’s sole discretion. If your Service or account is suspended or terminated and then reinstated, you may be charged a reactivation fee.

So, if you use a lot of partner service, be sure to use "even more" :D native network service during you billing cycle to avoid the possibility of termination.

03-23-2010, 12:47 AM

brad15

They stopped cutting customers with excessive roaming and instead dumped a bunch of roaming agreements where it was getting abused.

03-23-2010, 01:04 AM

E_tron

Does that mean that T-mobile is dropping partner coverage that overlaps native T-mobile coverage? I like in a rare area were I get to use T-mobile(GPRS) and partner CellOneET(EDGE) coverage :) .

Can mobiles now spend months (or years) at a time on partner coverage in places like South Dakota, Colorado, and Montana? AT&T always complains when I go on partner coverage; T-mobile doesn't seem to care. The GSM wholesalers in those zones only offer GSM to retailers like Tracfone, T-mobile, AT&T, CellOne, ect...

03-23-2010, 01:08 AM

Julian

Yes, T-Mobile is overbuilding the areas where people roam the most. According to some of the recent public comments by their executives, it was one of their goals last year, and I don't see that changing this year.

03-23-2010, 02:59 AM

brad15

For instance i use to roam a ton in Southern Ohio on at&t, and T-Mobile has cut the roaming in the places i would go and has now started to build a network there, it's not the best, but at least it's a start.

03-23-2010, 08:06 AM

reuthermonkey

i wish they would build out their towers and THEN cut the coverage agreement.

03-23-2010, 12:59 PM

greenlime812

Notice that it also says if you move to an area where T-Mobile does not provide service, they reserve the right to drop you! And it also says usage, not allotment so that implies that you would actually have to make calls in an on-network area to avoid being flagged. It also says for any 3 months though so that implies that you are probably staying there which would explain the part about moving.

03-23-2010, 03:51 PM

brad15

Quote:

Originally Posted by reuthermonkey

i wish they would build out their towers and THEN cut the coverage agreement.

Yeah i agree with that, as i went almost six months without coverage at my grandparents place (other than UMA) before anything surfaced. And in the meantime got myself into a Sprint contract since they had coverage there and i was going a lot.

03-24-2010, 12:11 PM

adam917

Quote:

Originally Posted by E_tron

Does that mean that T-mobile is dropping partner coverage that overlaps native T-mobile coverage? I like in a rare area were I get to use T-mobile(GPRS) and partner CellOneET(EDGE) coverage :) .

Can mobiles now spend months (or years) at a time on partner coverage in places like South Dakota, Colorado, and Montana? AT&T always complains when I go on partner coverage; T-mobile doesn't seem to care. The GSM wholesalers in those zones only offer GSM to retailers like Tracfone, T-mobile, AT&T, CellOne, ect...

Doesn't AT&T never tell you when you are roaming unless you are abroad? (I heard you needed to get an SOC called '4EON' turned on just for it to show 'Off Network' if you are roaming domestically but it still never tells you what network you are roaming on.)

03-26-2010, 07:57 PM

E_tron

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam917

Doesn't AT&T never tell you when you are roaming unless you are abroad? (I heard you needed to get an SOC called '4EON' turned on just for it to show 'Off Network' if you are roaming domestically but it still never tells you what network you are roaming on.)

Yes, you can get AT&T to say 'Off Network.' Ask for it from customer service; i think there is a feature code.

I look at the network code (a 3 digit value) to tell which network AT&T is partnered with. Some phones (like the iPhone) support this feature.

AT&T partner's I've seen and used include: Commnet Wireless, Centennial Wireless, Plateau Wireless, Mountain Wireless, Yorkville Telecom, Western Wireless, Alltel Wireless, Iowa Wireless Services, Petrocom, WestLink Communications, and various Cellular One providers. Most of these partners are out West.

03-27-2010, 01:00 AM

ilvla2

Quote:

Originally Posted by E_tron

AT&T partner's I've seen and used include:.... Mountain Wireless....

Are you sure about that? The only Mountain Wireless I know of is a web site ran by Bill Radio, mountainwireless.com. There was a Mountain Cellular here in California, a CDMA/AMPS carrier on the B Side that served only El Dorado County east of Sacramento, but they were bought out by Verizon a few years ago.

Here in the former Edge Wireless areas in NorCal, T-Mobile just started building out last summer. Their phones automatically roam in-market to AT&T where T-Mobile has no signal, so if you can't get a T-Mobile signal your phone will automatically look for and attach to any AT&T signal. Looking at other areas where Edge Wireless also served (OR, ID, WY), this holds true for them as well.

03-27-2010, 08:25 AM

DRNewcomb

Quote:

Originally Posted by reuthermonkey

i wish they would build out their towers and THEN cut the coverage agreement.

One of my issues is that, since GSM doesn't really have an enforcible PRL, they limit roaming by LACs. In areas where they have not permitted roaming, T-Mobile does not seem in any particular rush to fill the gaps in their native coverage. It's OK for the company to try to build towers in areas where they experience heavy domestic roaming, but when do they decide to fill coverage holes in coverage where they already don't allow roaming?

03-27-2010, 08:04 PM

Donkey

I believe Verizon is the only company that let you roam all you can all year long. Well, at least you could in the past, not sure if they have change anything yet.